SensNews May 2020

Sensor100 2020 6 Covid-19: The Big Picture Excess deaths: Number of deaths observed in excess of historical average for same time of year. Numbers may not reflect latest situation due to lags in registration. Source: FT analysis of mortality data. Data updated May 27. © FT. With every intention not to dwell on or even mention Covid-19 in this issue, it seems that is a near impossible constraint. However, rather than attemp to cover all the developments in Covid-19 test development, let's look at the bigger picture. With over 60,000 excess deaths in the US and the UK, it is hard to ig- nore the effects of this pandemic, despite politicians attempts to downplay the social impact in favour of restarting the economy. However, Leigh Shaw- Taylor writing in the University of Cambridge Newsletter, argues that history suggests that this pandemic will be a short-term interruption to long-run improvements in life expectancy, which should resume within a few years. " In 2019 global life expectancy was approaching 73 years. In 1800 it was probably about 30.This is arguably the most important single historical change of the last 200 years."